When she got back to Newhome, Hestia took one look at her and put her straight to bed.

"Whatever have you been doing, child? I have never seen you look so ill."

Athena did indeed look ill; her face waxy and pale, with deep shadows under her eyes. She protested weakly, but settled down gratefully to being cosseted by Hestia. She slept.

She slept for the best part of three days. The encounter with the Mother seemed to have drained her completely. Hestia woke her ...